Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-24
AN ADVENTURE IN CARIBOU
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tors. Such wayfarcrs are the most
bonored and welcome guests of my old
oal-panelled smOking-room, on whose
walls hang many an antlcred trophy Of
The chase; and many a weapon, from
my own well-used English guns to the
"cursed Malayan kreeso" from Pcrak
and Salangorc, serves, If not TO point
moral. at all events 10 invite or suggest
many tale.
My old friend Captain j. was here
at the end of last year for weeks
visit and the rcversion, in the matter Of
pheasants, of my more modern friends
leaviDgs. Those young gentlemen are
not satisfied with anything less than
twenty brace day to each gun, but We
old stagers are not such cpicurcs--we
who know what It Is to shoot for our
suppers, and to go hungry then
i. best stories, / think, hail from the
West though there are few OF the
parochial divisions of this planet that
would not furnish him with text. But
he handles the West as if he loved 1t,
as Izaak Walton badc rs handle the
frog. He is at home anywhere there
on the prairies. the Rocky mountains,
the Pacific coast from Alaska 10 Panama.
He had been, many years ago, n Govern
ment officer. magistrate, gold escort
captain, or the like, i'll British Colum-
bia.
On the evening which will take as
an epoch to start with our party con
sisted Of certain chanccry barrister,
who shot well, drank fair. and had tho
sometimes provoking gift of summing
up the merits of one of orr tales of
outland with a judicial neatness often
not TO be anticipated from their wild
ingredients the parson of the parish
who might sometimes, ! fancy. have
preferred whist, short or even long, 10
our everlasting travellers tales L. and
myself
We had been convcrsing on the sub
jCct of flies. Cur remarks had been
severe on those works of nature, ana
devoid of any shade of Brahmincal
charity. Their splendid impudence had
been dwelt with, and the Barristcr had
even cited Nj Ruskin against them.
The Rector had reminded us of the
etymology of the title Beelzebub. -
/. for my part, though certainly against
The grain, had assumed the brief of
devils advocate. and pleaded that some
doctors thames unknown had held that
mosquito bite. lin quantity unknown
will act Tin circumstances not precisely
stated as a prophyhctic against feyer.
"Although," said F., after medita-
lively filing mp his long tumbler and
I I 2 I. .. So
into his vast mccrschaum, although
flies once did help me 10 a little for
time. OF was over $7,0O0D yct they
must not call L.c rs witness 10 cha
racter. I'm dead against them. IN
mart sans phr0sc is my verdict.
We waited, for indeed he was the
last speaker on the subject. and We
were quari,riug the ground to Hush "a
story or some subject to shoot a story
at
"Thc les, fellow. the very best on
aud away. Of ny acquaintance IN tine
French army-aud IN tAc trmcan
days and before tina, know many
was Hector Caricc, a squadron leader
Of MacMahon', ont there IN the mud in
Algera-as good a soldier and comr De-
as ever slapped sword home IN scah-
bard lie wa, mighty quick az pulling
II ont, too, 10y the same token.
We thought story WAS T. the fore
now, hut none Of Us could think how
the flies were to come III.
"Wen. resumed he. after some sol
omu puf's Of his calumet, "well, be
dicd-of the bite Of blucbottle fly on
the sands Of Roulomc \ queer fate
for such frc-eatcrl Poor Hector his
bold soul must have madcthe air shake
over those meadows Of asphojel yondcr
when he realized 1t and commented
there on il in his free fashion - And
T., in the character of Hcctor's yT'l~
Sdccr. here blew ont 81 vast and indig-
nant volume Of smoke that 1t seemed
t. I've that hcros shade in person and
in the very act Of the uttcrdnres su8-
gcstcd.
All this was very moving, but we
clearly had not yet flushed the story,
and tie barristcr found voice for us 10y
saving dryly: let US have the case
for the flies. such Us it is-the seven
thousand dollars.
"Wc.l, SAID r., Gin The year 1859
or thcrcabout ] WAS taking the pay OF
our Sovereign Lady and giving no
small share of v1y hard work for it
il her Majosty's colony of British Co.
lumlia. I was q justice of the Peace,
and bad somewhat indistinct and null
tIlaiious duties connected with the
maintenance Of order generally, and of
the gold escort III particular. In the
fall of that wear ! was IN the northern
and in those days extreme limits OF the
colony-at the Forks of Qucsnclle, to
speak 10y the Clrl-as an early
winter began 10 whisper hoarscly and
frcstlly to the various mlninS-clmpS
that IT was time to be pulling mp hume-
boxes and for prudent folk to be turn
ing their faces south. Men who hat
done Wei began 10 t9.nA OF the amenI-
ties Of the saloons and nlliIard-hallS Of
NictCriz; Ii very well. they dreamed OF
even FRISCO as place OF hybernltion
while men who nad been nVoltcd by
TIE quick wings OF fortune were lam 10
la,alce the prospect OF taking the
down road only 10 omeaeure It's weary
UiIt : siltI VIZ NAINNi' "n'''''' VIZ
Of MhCrnatirC IN the society OF lclcies
and tr,c-mai,4ns.
at cost more money then to insure
tie safe transport Of dust from the
mines to The lower country. The smart
led Jackets Of tho gold escort had to be
paid for Us smalt.y; nor If the truth
must be told, was the 81 curity 50 pro
v;d,d altogether equal to tAat OF q
Clubb's safe IN bank cellar. The
oscoIt boys were only men OF mold
They could fill "a pit like other men
and though there never was "a serious
attack III my time We had plenty O
alarms 10 season Our Excursions witt
and one ahor;ive amhuscadc. Man.
owners Of dust wouldn't trust II L
the escort, aud some didn't like th'
toll. and 20 1t came topass that man.
a httle trader, of furt.ve procliyltie
and frugal mind, would sneAl
down the forest trails, carrying hi
wealth himself, and make his way (aye
many, and sometimes fail to make 1t
in hunted sort of fashion to the love
country. And many stout Calltoi
man, with buckskih belt well filled, O
be.vv eed1Ie-haps prefprrel his OW